Beam shape control devices are used in particular in mobile communications technology, that is to say in mobile communications base stations, so as to set the transmission angle of the primary source of a mobile communications antenna. Depending on the down-tilt angle, the relevant mobile communications cell can be illuminated to different extents and thus be set.
When referring to beam shape control devices of this type, it is conventional to use the term “RET unit” or “remote electrical tilt” device, as known for example from WO 02/061877 A2. However, by means of a beam shape device of this type, which as stated above is preferably referred to as a multi-beam shape control device, not only is it possible for example to set a different down-tilt angle in the elevation direction via different settings of phase shifters, but it is also possible, in particular in an antenna array comprising a plurality of gaps, to set the primary transmission direction and thus the primary source of an antenna system in the horizontal direction, that is to say at a different azimuth angle, for example by using phase shifters. Finally, by means of a beam shape control device, not only is it possible to set a different orientation of the primary radiation direction of an antenna system in the elevation direction and/or in the azimuth direction, but it is also possible to set the beam width differently both in the azimuth and in the elevation direction, so as thus to be able to set the half-power beam width of a primary beam lobe differently in this context. Likewise, it is also possible to implement settings for the mechanical angle of an antenna, namely the roll, pitch and yaw.
In other words, the previously known antennas are generally configured in such a way that what is known as the RET unit can be installed on a mechanical interface provided therefor (for example on the lower mounting flange of the antenna housing), and also comprises, in addition to the electronics, a motor which controls the phase shifters integrated into the antenna via a mechanical transformation. The phase change achieved in this manner acts directly on the beam characteristic, that is to say on the down-tilt angle of the antenna.
It is possible in principle to set the beam characteristic of multi-antenna systems differently by means of RET units of this type, it being possible to use the aforementioned RET motors for setting the primary beam direction of the antenna not only in the vertical direction (that is to say in the elevation direction for setting a different down-tilt angle), but also in the horizontal direction (that is to say in the azimuth direction), and even for setting the half-power width of a primary lobe.
In this context, it is known in principle that the control unit, known as the RET unit, comprising the associated motor can be arranged inside the antenna arrangement, that is to say inside the radome. By contrast, WO 02/061877 A2 proposes installing an RET unit of this type outside the radome, preferably directly beneath a mounting flange of the antenna arrangement, and this has the advantage that an RET unit of this type can also be retrofitted without opening the antenna cover (radome).
As a result of site-sharing scenarios (in which network operators share a site), and in the event of what are known as co-siting scenarios (in which one network operator operates a plurality of base stations, possibly of different mobile communications generations or mobile communications technologies, on one site), a higher number of antennas are increasingly being installed per site. At least since UMTS was introduced, the majority of the installed antennas have been supplemented by a system which ultimately makes it possible to control the beam characteristic of the antennas electrically. This is the above-disclosed RET configuration, by means of which a down-tilt angle can be set differently remotely.
In general, the various antenna manufacturers have created their own proprietary mechanical interfaces for this purpose, meaning that even the respective configurations of what are known as single-beam or multi-beam shape devices (actuators) vary between manufacturers.
The control side of the RET actuators is specified in the AISG or 3GPP standard. Thus, by means of one control apparatus, the RET actuators of different antenna manufacturers can be controlled via this standardised interface. So as to cover the single-RET and multi-RET actuators in the standard, the two apparatus types “single-RET” (device type 0x01) and “multi-RET” (device type 0x11) have been specified for this purpose.
One possible implementation of a multi-RET is for example accommodated in a single housing, which is equipped with a plurality of the manufacturer-specific mechanical interfaces. After being mounted on a corresponding multi-band antenna, the multi-RET can thus, under the control of a control apparatus, control the beam characteristics of the individual bands. However, the embodiment is only possible or expedient if the plurality of mechanical interfaces on the antenna are such that they can be operated by means of a single apparatus.
In multi-band antennas from other manufacturers, a multi-RET solution of this type in a single housing is not always possible, because of the different configurations of the mechanical interfaces. Depending on the antenna type, said interfaces may also possibly be located in different places.
For example, WO 2009/102775 A2 discloses a multi-beam shape device in the form of a multi-RET device, which has three manually actuable setting axles via which for example three separate antenna arrays can be controlled. To simplify the overall construction, it is proposed to use a shared control device for all three beam shape devices.
WO 2009/102774 A1 further discloses a multi-beam shape control device which comprises the corresponding input and output axles for controlling the antenna device. In this context, an option is proposed of decoupling the DC motor of the drive means from the phase shifter setting shaft, so as to be able to operate the phase shifter control buttons manually in a simpler manner.
Multi-band antennas are thus equipped with the aforementioned “single-RET actuators” as a function of the band. Thus, the possibility of reducing the cost of the “antenna+RET” system, which is available to the manufacturer of a “multi-RET” (which can be implemented in a single housing), cannot be exploited by every antenna manufacturer.
The publication “Lumberg: 03—Circular plug-in connector comprising a screw lock in accordance with IEC 60130-9, IP 40/IP 68. 12/2009. URL: http://www.lumberg.com/main/download/zusatz-info/Uebersicht_03.pdf [retrieved on 30.12.2011]” discloses inter alia plug-in connections which can be used for various purposes. Inter alia, page 5, top right, shows an overview of a circular plug-in connector comprising a screw lock. Some of these plug-in connection devices comprise a terminal provided with a male plug configuration and three further plug-in connection devices provided with a female plug-in connection. This is for example a DC power and control signal splitter, in which a terminal in accordance with the AISG protocol can ultimately be divided over for example three terminals. In general, in this context the corresponding pins/plugs are interconnected, in such a way that the aforementioned three outputs can be connected in parallel with one another.
The widespread AISG standard is known for example from the publication “AISG standard v2.0: 1.06.2006, Control interface for antenna line device”, in which for example point 6.3.2 “Polarity of multi-pole connectors” states that these multi-pole connector collectors may comprise a socket having a female connector configuration and an input socket having a male connector configuration and optionally a second output socket having a female connector configuration.
Against this background, the object of the present invention is to provide an improved antenna device (in particular a base station) comprising a multi-beam shape device, that is to say what is known as a multi-RET arrangement, which is accommodated for example in one housing, and which makes what is known as site-sharing operation possible as well as the conventional operation. In other words, by means of a multi-RET unit, an antenna of this type should be able to be used for example even by two or more network operators mutually independently, in such a way that the two or more network operators can mutually independently implement beam characteristic settings for the frequency bands assigned to them on the antenna (for example set a different down-tilt angle). This equally applies to the case where for example a network operator wishes to operate an antenna device of this type via two or more different base stations.
The object is achieved according to the invention in accordance with the features specified in claim 1 in relation to a multi-beam shape supplementary device and in accordance with the features specified in claim 11 in relation to a multi-beam shape control device. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.
By way of the present invention, by extremely simple means, a cost-effective possibility is provided for improving an antenna device in general and a mobile communications system (for example for a base station) in particular, for example in the form of a supplementary device which is configured in such a way that the for example one dual-band to hexa-band antenna can be operated not only by one network operator, but if required also by two or more network operators or via two or more base stations of one network operator mutually independently. Therefore, in this regard it may also generally be said that in the context of the invention a corresponding antenna device can be operated by two or more independent primary control apparatuses, that is to say what are known as primaries, one primary control apparatus for example being assigned to one network operator and the other primary control apparatus being assigned to the other, second network operator, or one network operator accordingly being able to operate the antenna via two separate primaries which are accommodated in two separate base stations. Regardless of this, the inventive solution is distinguished by the simplicity and the cost-effective implementation thereof.
In the following, the terms “network operator” and/or “primary control apparatus” are often used instead of the short form “primary”.
The invention starts from a multi-RET unit, which conventionally comprises a primary communications interface, for example an eight-pole communications interface comprising an eight-pin terminal configuration in the form of what is known as a male plug. However, if for example a plurality of antennas is controlled correspondingly on one site, a further, “secondary” communications interface may be provided for each of a second, third or more antennas which are additionally provided on the same site, making chaining to a subsequent antenna possible, specifically in the form of what is known as daisy-chaining. In this context, this second communications interface, which leads to a following antenna or a following RET unit, may in principle likewise be constructed in the same manner as the first communications interface, but generally as a female plug-in device if the first communications interface is configured as a male plug-in device (or vice versa).
If an antenna device of this type is now to be operated by two network operators/primary control apparatuses (primaries) or via two different base stations of one or more network operators, completely mutually independently, in the context of the invention a slight modification to the configuration can be ensured in that for example an adapter can be placed on the second communications interface provided for the daisy-chain wiring, the terminal configuration of “female plug-in device” being modified to “male plug-in device”, the same plug-in terminal configuration thus being present as in the first communications interface. Thus, according to the invention, what is known as a site-sharing adapter or a corresponding site-sharing adapter device is provided, via which a plurality of further primary communications interfaces, that is to say at least two and preferably three, are provided, on which a plurality of additional network operators or at least in general a plurality of additional primaries, that is to say at least two or three additional primaries, can operate the antenna, and thus share the same antenna arrangement with other network operators/primaries.
Thus, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, as mentioned above, the aforementioned site-sharing adapter arrangement comprises an adapter device, also referred to as a secondary adapter for short in the following, which can be placed on or generally connected to the aforementioned secondary communications interface—which is actually provided for bringing about daisy-chaining to a following antenna device—and which changes a corresponding connector configuration of this secondary communications interface into a connector configuration for connecting further network operators/primary control apparatuses.
As an alternative to the aforementioned secondary adapter or in addition to the aforementioned secondary adapter, the site-sharing adapter arrangement may also comprise a further adapter, of a different construction or provided in addition, specifically an adapter device, referred to as a primary adapter for short in the following, which can be placed on or connected to the primary communications interface of the antenna device. This primary adapter is likewise an adapter which makes branching possible, of which a first terminal point can in this embodiment be placed on and connected to the primary communications interface of the antenna, and which comprises at least two communications interfaces opposed thereto, to which the corresponding connection cable of a plurality of further different, that is to say separate network operators or primaries, in particular at least two or preferably three, can now be connected. This likewise makes it possible to ensure in an antenna device that this antenna device can now be operated and exploited jointly by at least two network operators without major additional measures.
The aforementioned site-sharing adapter thus makes it possible to connect more than one primary, for example two or three primaries, to a multi-RET. These primaries may thus set or adjust the beam characteristics of the frequency bands assigned thereto of a multi-band antenna mutually independently.
In this context, it is preferably provided that this independence is achieved both in the communication between the primary control apparatuses and the multi-RET and also in the individual power supply. That is to say, in this case—for example if a primary control device activates an adjustment of the phase shifters—the power required for this should be drawn in a correctly assigned manner from this primary or a power source physically associated with this primary, that is to say a primary control apparatus or a power source physically associated with this primary control apparatus.
In this context, in a preferred embodiment it is provided that in a standby mode (idle mode) what is known as the standby power of the multi-RET can be covered via each physical terminal. This is preferably implemented using an OR circuit, which ensures that the power supplied by at least one primary is passed on to the multi-RET and to further provided electronic components and assemblies. In this context, it is also possible for the supply voltage, which is for example brought together in the site-sharing adapter via a star point, to be converted by a step-down converter to a voltage lower than all of the applied input voltages.
In active operation, as opposed to standby operation, additional measures are preferably provided. In this context, active operation is distinguished from standby operation in that one or more actuators can be operated, in addition to the standby power supply of the electronics installed in the multi-RET. The power uptake of these actuators may increase considerably from the standby power, meaning that a virtually arbitrary power uptake of any old connected primary can no longer be tolerated. Therefore, electronics are preferably provided in the site-sharing adapter which draw the current supply required for the active power operation from each primary control apparatus which activates and wishes to carry out corresponding beam shaping via the multi-RET.
By contrast with the previous solution, the site-sharing adapter provided according to the invention has the major advantage, as a multi-beam shape supplementary device, that an antenna, in particular a mobile communications antenna (for a base station) or a multi-RET unit used in this context can be produced and used cost-effectively for individual operation, and that only minor additional measures are required, specifically in the form of an aforementioned site-sharing adapter, so as subsequently also to be able, without difficulty, to have the antenna operated by two, three or more network operators independently of each other in what is known as a site-sharing mode, by using this site-sharing adapter. That is to say, the additional costs brought about by the site-sharing adapter only fall when a plurality of primaries/network operators are actually sharing an antenna system.